Dark Winds is more of a gentle breeze in the UK, so few people know about it. That is criminal as the show has much to commend it. While Season Two ups the action quota and is more procedural in nature, Season One has overtly supernatural elements. However, both seasons share more than a knowing nod with Twin Peaks and True Detective.
Adapted from the Leaphorn and Chee novels by the late crime laureate Tony Hillerman, Dark Winds is set against the distinctive backdrop of the Navajo Nation reservation. Although the series is set in the early 1970s, the show effectively incorporates elements of ancient traditions that resonate with the surrounding landscape’s timeless quality. Not only is the main cast predominantly Indigenous, but they often speak Diné Bizaad, which superbly enhances the cultural authenticity of the narrative.
Season One opens with a bold armoured car heist in a quiet Southwestern town, resulting in life loss. The criminals escape into the unforgiving Arizona desert by helicopter that lands in the street. Meanwhile, veteran Navajo Nation police lieutenant Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) is investigating the brutal murder of a young Navajo girl, a task that becomes increasingly perplexing. He is partnered with the enthusiastic rookie Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), who has the added pressure of working undercover for the FBI to track down the heist suspects. As their investigation progresses, the bank robbery and murder cases intersect, suggesting potential involvement from the Buffalo Society, a radical Indian militia.
Season Two begins with a noir-influenced black-and-white flash-forward, in which Joe Leaphorn and Sargeant Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten), arrive at an RV to arrest a suspect. Upon discovering the trailer empty, they find themselves under fire, which they narrowly escape. The narrative subsequently shifts back six days to explore a car bomb explosion outside a hospital. This explosion is linked to a past tragedy involving the death of Joe’s son and connects to a separate investigation led by Chee, who is now a private investigator.
The entire cast is wonderful. But it is particularly satisfying to see Zahn McClarnon, who has appeared in Reservation Dogs, Westworld, Fargo, and Longmire, finally take centre stage. Leaphorn is a watchful combination of empathy and intelligence, constantly having to weigh up his instincts against what will be best for his people. It is a terrific, multifaceted performance.
The single, solitary extra is Show Me More: Dark Winds. It’s an AMC+ program that takes a closer look at the conception and production of Dark Winds: Season One. It features interviews with cast and crew members, as well as executive producer Robert Redford.
